Joyride Ends in Tragedy: Man Jailed for Deadly Crash in Stolen Car

A reckless joyrider has been locked up for 14 years after a high-speed smash in Bournville, Birmingham, that claimed the life of his passenger.

High-Speed Crash on Linden Road

Rhemeese Lawrence-Hayden, 28, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Birmingham Crown Court on 26 March. At the time of the crash in October 2022, he was just 24 and held only a provisional licence. Driving a stolen Ford Focus near Beaumont Road shortly after 10.45pm, Lawrence-Hayden lost control of the car, speeding between 82mph and 102mph in a 30mph zone. The vehicle slammed into a central reservation, a curb, and then a tree while heading towards Cotteridge.

Passenger Dies, Driver Flees Scene

His passenger, 26-year-old David Brennan, suffered fatal injuries and died in the hospital. Shockingly, Lawrence-Hayden escaped unscathed and vanished from the crash site, only to be picked up by another vehicle.

Trail of Evidence Leads to Conviction

• CCTV captured the stolen car's deadly speed near the scene.
• Forensic evidence linked saliva from the driver’s airbag directly to Lawrence-Hayden via DNA profiling.
• His mobile phone data placed him at the crash site.
• He was identified by a witness in an ID parade as the driver.

“Lawrence-Hayden drove at very high speed with no thought for the safety of his friend Mr Brennan or any other road users. His actions were totally reckless,” said Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit. “Following the crash he fled, leaving Mr Brennan at the scene with very serious injuries. He will spend many years behind bars where he can reflect on his actions on that night. Our thoughts remain with Mr Brennan’s family.”

Along with the prison term, Lawrence-Hayden has been banned from driving for 12 years.